That will still leave the USN (as mentioned) & Europe operating the type. If they can do so, what are they doing that the USAF is not doing?

Also suggests reasons other than operational for the decision (cost?).

I must admit that I like the whole concept of the Global Hawk, and would like to think that the RAF will now be able to get their sticky mittens on a few of the surplus UAVs. It would be the obvious Canberra replacement (and uses the same Avon engine).

It is powered by a Rolls-Royce AE3007, which is a design derived from the core of the AE2100 which powers the C-130J and is also the core for the T406 on the Osprey. This engine was designed and developed by Allison before Rolls-Royce bought the company. It has nothing to do with the Rolls-Royce Avon that is a 1950 design and ceased production in 1974!

HMS Pinafore wrote:That will still leave the USN (as mentioned) & Europe operating the type. If they can do so, what are they doing that the USAF is not doing?

What they are doing is 'not having any other suitable replacement'; Europe and USN don't have the U-2 as a 'already paid for' option. Were it that the U-2s were grounded or otherwise unflyable, USAF would keep the Hawk. As it is I think they have like 30 airframes to fulfill the need, so in these times of cuts, why spend your money here?

HMS Pinafore wrote:That will still leave the USN (as mentioned) & Europe operating the type. If they can do so, what are they doing that the USAF is not doing?

What they are doing is 'not having any other suitable replacement'; Europe and USN don't have the U-2 as a 'already paid for' option. Were it that the U-2s were grounded or otherwise unflyable, USAF would keep the Hawk. As it is I think they have like 30 airframes to fulfill the need, so in these times of cuts, why spend your money here?

He (and the article) are referring to the USN's MQ-4C, which is a Maritime-surveillance version of the Global Hawk, scheduled for IOC in 2015 (formerly reffered to as BAMS [Broad-Area Maritime Surveillance]).http://www.navair.navy.mi...airNewsStory&id=4888

the Air Force decision was based on the cost of the Global Hawk unmanned
planes, and that the service would investigate using a Marine version
with different sensors that Northrop is developing for the Navy.

The Luftwaffe has ordered Global Hawks, with the first German "EuroHawk" being delivered on 21 July 2011 to Manching, Germany, where the Sigint package was to be fitted, with hand-over to the LW scheduled for "summer 2012", and the LW is asking for a total of 5. http://worldcrunch.com/me...rolling-super-drone/3937

“…Science as it is really practiced, caught up in the turmoil of personalities, with Truth always out of reach, and truths too often limping along, wounded in the turf wars and drive-bys of gangs of Ph.D.-totin’ grant-heads.”
Orson Scott Card: “Future on Ice”

The block 10 is a significantly and visibly different plane than the rest. Block 20, 30, and 40's are distinguished by payload and some have been retrofitted to other payloads than originally intended.

ravage wrote:The block 10 is a significantly and visibly different plane than the rest. Block 20, 30, and 40's are distinguished by payload and some have been retrofitted to other payloads than originally intended.

Do you have a link concerning what the payload differences are? I've always been curious what they carry, if its unclassified.